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W. N. MASON.

VENDING MACHINE. I APPLICATION uuzo NOV-24,1917.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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anon doc w. N. MASON.

VENDING MACHINE. -APPLICAHON HLED N0v.24. 1917.

1,31 6,492. Patented 16,1919.

3 SH SHEET 2.

W. N. MASON.

v VENDING MACHINE- APFLICAHON HLED N0v.24.1917.

1,8 1 6,492. Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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WALLACE N. MASON, OF ANGELICA, NEW YORK.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Application filed November 24, 1917. Serial No. 203,822.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE N. MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Angelica, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Ma.- chines, of which the following is a specification. 7

This invention has special reference to that type of vending machines which dispense chewing gum, confectionery or other commodities in the form of balls or spheres. The

. invention has for its object the provision of a machine for the stated purpose, which will be free of complicated construction and arrangement and which will be easily operated to deliver a purchase. The invention also has for its object the provision of means for preventing the delivery of more than one article for a single coin, and also has for its object the provision of novel means for causing the coin to positively travel a prescribed path and be deposited in the coin box.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and then particularly pointed out in the claims, following the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 isa vertical section of a vending machine embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the operating mechanism with the globe or merchandise holder removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the operating mechanism with the pocket wheel and the stop device cooperating therewith removed;

Figs. 5 and 6 are diagrammatic sectional views illustrating the operation of the mechanism upon the insertion of a coin;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a combined stop device and coin presser finger;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the coin carrier and slide, by the movement of which an article is delivered from the machine.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a hollow base 1. which is utilized as a coin box and through which the delivery tube 2 passes. This base and coin box will be preferably constructed of sheet metal so that it may be produced in a metal stamping machine and i empty. This filling opening will normally be closed by a plug 5, from which a holding standard 6 rises through slots provided therefor in the upper portion of the machine, and a lock 7 of any desired type is fitted through a slot in the upper extremity of this standard or holding arm at the exterior of the casing, so as to lock the closure 5 in place. Access to the coin box by unauthorized persons is thus prevented.

The discharge tube or chute 2 extends downwardly and outwardly and has its lower end coincident with a discharge opening 8 in the side wall of the base, and upon the outer face of said side wall I provide a cup or receptacle 9, in which the article will be received from the discharge tube so that it will not drop to the ground and be lost. As these machines are generally placed in outdoor positions and may be exposed to the weather, I provide an opening 10 in the bottom of the cup or receptacle 9 at the lowest point thereof, so that water and dust cannot collect therein and the cup will always be in a clean condition.

The upper edge of the base is turned outwardly, as shown at 11, and upon the said edge, I support the outturned edge or flange 12 of a'diaphragm 13 which is constructed with an annular rim or side wall It, as shown. The diameter of this diaphragm should be such that the rim 14 at the edge thereof will fit closely within the base and the flange 12 at the upper edge of the rim will rest directly upon the outturned edge 11 of the base so that the diaphragm will be firmly supported without being permanently secured to the base. The diaphragm is provided with a discharge opening 15 directly over the upper end of the discharge tube or chute 2 so that when an article has been brought into position over said opening by the pocket wheel, presently described, it will at once drop to and through the said chute or tube and be delivered in the cup 9. The diaphragm is also provided with a coin discharge slot 16 disposed beyond and out of alinement with the article discharge opening 15 and the chute or tube 2 so that when the coin has been brought into alinement with the said slot 16, in the operation of the coin carrier, it will drop throughsaid slot and be caught in the base. The diaphragm is also provided with an additional opening 17 which will preferably be located diametrically opposite the discharge opening 15, but may be located at an other point where itwill be accessible to a unnel inserted through the filling opening 4 in the bottom of the base or coin box. Upon the upper side of the diaphragm is pivotally mounted a cover 18 having one end adapted to extend over the filling opening 17 and upon the under side of said cover and extending through the said opening, is a lug 19 which is adapted to engage a notch 20 formed in the wall of the opening 17 at one side of the same. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be understood that when the plug or closure 5 is withdrawn from the filling opening 4 after the machine is inverted, the standard or holding or looking arm 6 may be caused to engage the end of the lug 19 and then moved so as to carry said lug into engagement with the notch 20 thereby swinging the covering plate 18 about its pivot 21 so that the filling opening 17 will be exposed, as will be readily understood uponreference to the dotted lines in Fig. 4. The locking arm 6 may then be withdrawn and a funnel inserted through the openings 4 and 17 and the balls of gum or other commodities passed through the funnel into the globe or merchandise holder 22. After the said globe has been filled, the plate 18 will, pf course, be returned to its normal position so as to cover the filling opening 17 and the closure 5 again put in place. It will be obvious that after the globe has been filled, it is necessary to cover the opening 17 to prevent the balls of candy or other goods dropping through said opening as the pocket wheel is rotated, and this need is met in a very simple and eflicient manner by the provision of the covering plate 18. In order that the edge of the pocket wheel may be properly supported and spaced from the diaphragm so as to provide room for the operation of the slide or coin carrier and prevent binding of the said carrier between the pocket wheel and the diaphragm, beads 23, 24 and 25 are struck up or formed in the dlaphragm, the beads 23 and 24 being disposed radially and in the rear portion of the diaphragm, while the bead 25 is concentric with the diaphragm and is narrower than the beads 23 and 24.

At the center of the diaphragm, I provide a post 26 upon which the coin carrier or slide 27 and the pocket wheel 28 are pivotally mounted. The slide or coin carrier is segmental in form and its corner is constructed with a notch 29 whereby it may pivotally engage the lower end of the said post 26, while the outer arcuate edge of the at 32, so that the slide may be manipulated by the purchaser to effect delivery of the goods. The handle or lever 31 may-be given any desired configuration and will preferably have a concave rear edge 33 which will accommodate the finger of the purchaser and aid him in turning the slide in the proper direction. The slide, as well as the diaphragm, will preferably be constructed of sheet metal so that they may be for-med in a metal stamping machine and the lever 31 will be preferably formed integral with a coin seat 34 which is provided upon the upper side of the slide and registers with the coin slot 35 in the slide. As shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 8, the coin seat is provided by expanding the inner end of the lever and then bending the same into an inverted U-shape, a slot 36 being provided longitudinally in the shoulder or transverse portion of the U. At the inner side of the coin seat and concentric with the pivotal point of the slide, a narrow guide slot 37 is provided, this slot being arranged to fit over the rib or bead 25 on the diaphragm and thereby aid in guiding the coin carrier in its movements, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 4. The ends of this slot 37, by engaging the ends of the head or rib 25, will serve as stops to limit the movement of the slide. At the inner side of the slot 37 an additional arcuate slot 38 is provided in the slide and this slot should be equal in width to the diameter of the pockets in the dispensing pocket wheel, the purpose of this slot being to afford a passage for the articles from the dispensing wheel into the tube or chute 2. A stop 39 is provided on the upper side ofthe diaphragm 13 and one edge of the slide or coin carrier is provided with a lug or shoulder 40 which is adapted to impinge against the said stop when the slide is retracted so as to limit the' movement of the slide and bring itto rest with the slot 36 directly under the coin tube '41, which leads from the upper casing 42. The'slide is held in its normal initial position by a spring 43, which is coiled the rim of the diaphragm and the side wall left by forming the slots in the side Wall of the base and the rim of the diaphragm for the passage of the handle or lever 31. The rim 30 upon the slide is of sufficient height to extend above the upper edge of said slots and of such extent that the slots will be covered in either extreme position of the slide. The insertion of a wire or other implement by mischievously inclined persons, is thereby positively prevented.

To prevent a second coin passing through the coin tube 41 while the slide is in the delivering position or moving toward said position, I provide a stop plate 46 whlch 1s arcuate from end to end and disposed concentric with the pivot post 26'. The ends of this plate are provided with integral feet 47 through which rivets or similar fastening devices are inserted into the slide and the parts are of such proportions that the plate will ride directly under the com tube as the slide is moved. The plate extends from a point immediately adjacent the end of the coin receiver 34 to a point near the stop 40 on the slide so that during the entlre movement of the slide. The lower end of the coin tube 41 will be covered and a coin deposited therein, at that time, cannot pass therefrom and jamming of the mechanismwill be thereby prevented. It will be readily noted that the construction of this stop plate is such that it may be stamped up in a metal stamping machine and the cost of production thereby kept down to the lowest ossi-ble figure. A second plate 48 is provided on the under side of the upper casing 42 and this second plate 48 is so located that it will be directly over the coin discharge slot 16 and will bear upon the upper edge of the coin as the slide or coin carrier moves to the discharging position. The coin will thus be prevented from rising from the coin seat 34 and will be caused to positively operate the dispensing Wheel and also will be forced to pass through theslot 16 when it reaches the same. identical in construction with the stop plate 46 but is arranged in reverse position so that the use of separate dies is notnecessary. and a single set of dies may be used in producing both plates.

The dispensing wheel 28 consists of a sheet metal disk provided with circular openings 49 spaced equi-distantly around the center The presser plate 48 is of thedisk and the central portion of the disk is pivotally mounted upon the post 26, as clearly shown. This central portion of the disk is slightly raised above the plane of the disk so that the balls of gum or confectionery, dropping thereon, will be directed toward the edge of the disk or wheel and consequently will drop into the openings 49. The openings 49 are formed by striking from the disk, annular lips or rims 50 and within the said rims or lips I secure, by brazing or similar means, rings or collars 51 which constitute pockets to receive the goods. The

bottoms of the pockets are, of course, open to permit the discharge of the articles, and until the articles reach the discharge point, they are supported by the diaphragm and the slide or coin carrier. The edge of the disk, constituting the main portion of'the dispensing wheel, is bent downwardly to form a rim 52 and from the said rim, stop tongues 53 are struckup and project outWardly,-the said tonguesbeing spaced equi-distantly and corresponding in number and location to the article-receiving pockets. In the initial position of the wheel, one of these tongues will be in advance of and adjacent the forward end of the slot 36 in the coin receiver, so that when the coin carrier is actuated, the coin will be brought against the said tongue and will thereupon transmit its movement to the dispensing wheel through the tongue, and to prevent the coin being caused to ride up out of the receiver 34 when it comes in contact with the said tongue I provide the combined Presser and stop arm 54. This combined presser and stop arm comprises a base piece 55 which is secured upon the rim 14 of the diaphragm near the upper edge of the same and projects therefrom over the dispensing wheel at an angle to the radius of the same. To the inner free end of this base piece, I secure a resilient arm or plate 56 having its free end expanded laterally, as

shown at 57, and the inner extremity of said expanded portion is turned downwardly to form a stop lip or detent 58 which is adapted to engage in one of the pockets of the dispensing wheel, the relative position and proportions of the parts being such that the detent 58 will be located vertically over the article discharging opening 15. The opposite extremity of the expanded portion 57 of this combined presser and stop device is turned downwardly, as shown at 59, and is then bent outwardly as at 60, into the path of the advancing coin and the end of this portion 60 presented to the coin is turned upwardly, as shown at 61, to present a beveled surface to the coin. As the carrier is moved, the coin will ride under the presser piece 6061 immediately in advance of its engagement with the projecting tongue 53 of yield to the coin sufliciently to raise the detent 58 out of the pocket engaged by the same whereupon the wheel will turn with the coin and the coin carrier. The presser device, however, will bear upon the coin with sufficient force to prevent it riding out of the coin receiver 34 and immediately after the coin clears the said presser piece, it will pass under the presser plate 48 and will consequently be prevented, during the entire period of its movement, from leaving the coin receiver 34. It will be understood, of course, that inasmuch as the detent 58 is vertically over the discharge opening 15, the pocket engaged b the said detent will not hold an article. he succeeding pocket, however, will contain an article, inasmuch, as the" bottom thereof will'be covered by the slide or coin carrier. The travel of the coin carrier and the dispensing wheel will bring the said succeeding pocket into position over the discharge opening 15 and under the detent 58, whereupon the article will pass through said opening and the detent will engage the pocket so that the movement of the wheel will be arrested and a third pocket cannot be brought to position over the discharge opening. Simultaneously with the discharge of the article through the opening 15, the coin will drop through the slot 16 and, as the purchaser releases the handle or lever 31, the spring 43 will return the slide or coin carrier to its initial position. The dispensing wheel will, however, be prevented from moving in a retrograde manner with the coin carrier by the engagement of the detent 58 in the pocket from which an article has just been discharged and also by reason of one of the tongues 53 riding over and engaging one of the resilient pawls 62 whichare secured upon the diaphragm adjacent the rim of the wheel and ro ect upwardly therefrom into the path of the said tongues.

The upper casing comprises a metallic rim or collar 42 and the globe 22, which will be of glass or other transparent material so that purchasers can observe the goods offered for sale and the owner of the machine may, at any time note the quantity of the goods unsold and will be informed when refilling is necessary. The globe 22 willpreferably be spherical and provided with a collar 63 defining a mouth through which the goods may pass. This collar Wlll preferably be formed externally with a bead 64: and the rim 42 will be properly shaped to fit closely around the collar and the body and thereby firmly support the globe. The rim 42 will preferably be formed in two sections, connected by a hinge 65 at thefront of the ma chine and held together at the rear of the machine by a hasp 66 secured to one section and having its free end projecting over the other section and provided with a slot 67 through which the upper end of the stand- .of the sections of the rim, and the upper end of the tube will be located at the exterior of the bead 64: so that the coin may be readily inserted. As shown most clearly in Fig. 5, the lower end of the coin tube will be provided with a notch in its front wall or that wall toward which the coin is supposed to travel, as shown at 68, while the rear wall extends to the lower extremity of the tube which will be below the highest point on the edgeof the coin, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Movement of the coin and coin carrier or slide in an improper direction is thus prevented.

It is thought that the operation and advantages of my improved machine will be the lock 7 is removed and the upper ortion of the machine including the globe, the upper rim or collar 42, the diaphragm, and the parts supported on the diaphragm, are removed so that the coins deposited in the base of the machine may be taken out. The upper portion of the machine is then returned to its position on the base and the machine is inverted so that the globe may be again filled by means of a funnel, as previously stated, The holding arm or standard 6 serves as a gage or guide for centering the mechanism upon the base by its engagement with the slot in the upper casing, and it will be a very simple matter to thread the operating handle through the slots 32 so that no particular, skill is required in restoring the machine to its operative condition after the coins have been extracted. To aid in h0ld ing the lockin arm 6 properly engaged with the slot provided therefor in the upper casing, a-spring finger 69 is secured within the case and passes upwardly through the diaphragm and the upper casing so as to aid in properly positioning the parts. With the exception of the lock, which may be bought in the open market, and the globe which may be molded of glass, all the parts of the maerate positively and easily at all times and is not apt to get out of order, so that it will be found exceedingly durable.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claime as new is:

1. In a vending machine, the combination of a base, an article discharge chute located in and leading through the base, an article holder supported on the base and having a closed top and an open bottom, a dispensing wheel supported within the base be ow the article holder and provided with a plurality of open-ended pockets, a coin carrier mounted below the dispensing wheel, peripheral projections on the wheel disposed in the space between the wheel and the side of the base and corresponding in number and in their relative positions with the pockets to be engaged by a coin deposited in the coin carrier whereby the wheel will be caused to deliver an article into the article discharge chute, and means to engage said projections for preventing retrograde movement of the wheel.

2. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a coin tube fixed to and depending within the casing, an article discharge tube within the lower portion of the casing, a coin carrier having a coin receiver disposed normally under the coin tube and arranged to support a coin in an upright position across a radius of the coin carrier, means for holding the coin carrier yieldably in its normal position, means for manually moving the carrier from said position, and a dispensingwheel arranged above the coin carrier and provided with an outwardly projecting radial tongue disposed in the path of a coin deposited in the coin carrier whereby said tongue will be engaged by the edge of the coin and the wheel will be actuated when the coin carrier is manually'moved.

3. In a vending machine, the combination of a diaphragm having a coin discharge slot and an article discharge opening, a coin carrier pivoted concentrically upon said diaphragm and having an open bottom coin re-.

ceiver and also provided with .a slot arranged to reg ster with the article discharge opening, a hollow support for said diaphragm constituting a coin receiver, an article discharge tube extending through said support and having its upper end registering with the article discharge opening in the diaphragm, a dispensing wheel pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm concentric with the coin carrier having a plurality of equi-distant open-ended pockets adapted to successively register with the article discharge opening, and peripheral projections on said wheel corres nding in number to and alined radially w1th the pockets and extending into the path of a coin deposited on the coin carrier whereby the wheel will move with the coin carrier until the coin is discharged.

4. In a vending machine, the combination of a diaphragm provided with article and coin discharge openings, a coin carrier pivotally mounted upon said dlaphragm and provided with a com receiver, a dispensing wheel pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm above the coin carrier and provided with a plurality of equi-distant open-ended pockets adapted to bring articles successively to the article discharge opening in the diaphragm, means for effecting engagement between the periphery of the dispensing wheel and a coin in the coin receiver, and a resilient stop -device mounted at one side of and extending over the dispensing wheel and having a detent adapted to engage one of the said pockets and provided also with a presser member disposed radially beyond the dispensing wheel in the path of a coin deposited in the coin receiver.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a base, a diaphragm therein, a coin carrier pivoted upon the diaphragm, a dispensing wheel also pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm and adapted to be actuated peripherally by a coin deposited in the coin carrier, an upstanding stop on the diaphragm radially beyond the wheel, a stop on one edge of the coin carrier, and a spring disposed below the dispensing wheel and attached to the diaphragm and the coin carrier respectively and yieldably holding the said stops in engagement.

6. In a vending machine. the combination of a. diaphragm, a base within which said diaphragm is supported, a. coin carrier mounted on the diaphragm, a dispensing wheelmounted upon the diaphragm above saidcoin carrier, radial projections on the periphery of said wheel extending into the path of a coin deposited into the coin carrier, and leaf springs secured upon the diaphragm adjacent the rim of the wheel and extending into the path of said projections, the free ends of the springs being downturnedto engage the rear ends of the projections.

7. In a vending machine, the combination of a base, a diaphragm secured therein and having spaced beads formed in its upper surface, one of said beads being arcuate and disposed concentrically and the remaining beads being radially disposed. a coin carrier mounted concentrically upon the diaphragm and having an arcuate slot engaging said arcuate bead, a dispensing wheel mounted upon the diaphragm above" the coin carrier and resting upon and supported by said beads, and means upon the said wheel whereby the same will be actuated by acoin deposited in the coin carrier.

8. In a vending machine, the combination of a hollow base having a circumferential slot in one side wall, a. diaphragm secured within the base and having a rim constructed with a slot registering with the slot in the base, a covering plate secured on the under side of the diaphragm and bearing against the side wall of the base below and coterminous with said slots, a coin carrier pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm and extendin to the rim of the same and provided w1th an upstanding flange covering the slot in the said rim. a handle member extending from said coin carrier through the aid slots, a coin receiver on said carrier, and a dispensing wheel mounted upon the diaphragm above the carrier and provided with projections in the path of a coin deposited in said coin receiver.

9. In a vending machine, the combination of a diaphragm having a coin discharging slot, a coin carrier pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm and having a slot through which a coin may pass, a coin receiver on the coin carrier over the slot therein consisting of an inverted U-shaped plate provided with a slot longitudinally in thevbent portion thereof, a handle member formed integral with said coin receiver and secured to the carrier and projecting outwardly therefrom, the slot in the coin carrier being closed by the diaphragm in the normal position of the' carrier, a dispensing wheel disposed above the carrier. and projections on said wheel extending into the path of a. coin deposited in the coin receiver.

10. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a coin tube depending -within the same, a coin carrier disposed below said tube, a coin seat on said carrier parallel with the wall of the casing, a stop plate on the carrier adjacent said seat and extending therefrom over the carrier whereby to close the end of the coin tube when the coin carrier is moved, and a presser late secured upon the casing in advance of the said coin seat and above the path of the coin whereby'to hold the coin in said seat during the movement of the carrier.

11. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a coin carrier rotatably mounted in the casing, a coin tube depending within the casing, the forward wall of the tube in the direction of movement terminating above the remaining walls, a coin seat on the coin carrier normally in alinement with the coin tube to receive a coin therefrom, and means disposed over the path of the coin seat to retain the coin in the seat during the vending movement of the carrier.

12. In a. vending machine, the combination of a casing, a dispensing wheel rotatably mounted in the casing, a coin carrier rotatably mounted in the casing below the dispensing wheel, a coin seat on the carrier disposed between the casing and the wheel and constructed to support the coin in an upright position at an angle to the radius of the wheel, and a projection on the periphery of the wheel to be engaged by the forward edge of the coin.

13. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a coin carrier'rotatably mounted in the casing, a coin seat on the carrier at an angle to the radius to the same, a cointube depending within the casing to deliver a coin to said seat, and a yieldable arm secured to the casing and projecting over the carrier and having its free end arranged to bear upon a coin in the coin seat as the coin leaves the coin tube.

14. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a coin carrier rotatably mounted in the casing, a coin seat on the carrier at an angle to the radius of the same,

a coin tube depending within the casing to deliver a coin to said seat, and a yieldable arm secured to the casing and having its free end disposed over the carrier and provided with a lateral projection, the rear end of said projection being beveled to ride over a coin in the coin seat. I j

15. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a diaphragm provided with article and coin discharge openings, a coin carrier pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm and provided with a coin receiver, a dispensing wheel pivotally mounted upon the diaphragm above the coin carrier and provided with a plurality of equidistant open-ended pockets to bring articles successively to the discharge opening, the coin receiver being disposed between the periphery of the said wheel and the wall of the casing and a detent mounted on the casing and normally holding said wheel against movement and projecting into the path of the coin receiver to be engaged by the coin and thereby released from the Wheel.

16. In a vending machine, the combination of a dispensing Wheel, a coin carrier arranged to support a coin radially beyond and with its face presented to the periphery of the Wheel, and a detent arranged to normally engage the face of the wheel and hold it against movement and project beyond the periphery of the wheel and over the path of a coin seated on the coin carrier whereby the coin Will be held to its seat and the dispensing wheel released.

. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WALLACE N. MAso'N a 8.] 

